A Tale of Two Hearts
by The Pale Red Queen
Summary: Tessa's wedding is just around the corner. The past six months have been filled with so much that she's just been waiting for this day. However, her heart is still split in two and the clock is winding down. Not to mention that Mortmain is still out there. What will Tessa have to do to save the ones she loves?
1. Prologue

**A/N: Hey everyone! CP2 is literally just three weeks again, so my good friend and fellow fanfiction writer PrimadonnaGurl13 decided to write this mini-story leading up to the release. Enjoy!**

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**Prologue**

Rain poured down heavily onto the cobblestone roads of London. April was just beginning, which meant more overcast weather and rain. Horses trotted along the slippery streets, carrying carriages behind them, stopping in front of a looming church. The church was situated in the center of a square, standing tall and unhindered. Instead of normal mundanes, Shadowhunters stepped out of the carriages and entered the church for the special occasion: the wedding of Theresa Gray and James Carstairs.

Tessa was in a room towards the back of the church alone so she could get ready for her wedding. It was not like everyone just isolated Tessa; she had personally asked to be alone, especially after everything that had happened in the past six months. Charlotte and Sophie had been the only ones to come and go from the room, Charlotte only checking on her and Sophie getting her ready.

In fact, Sophie had spent the last three hours preparing Tessa, dressing her in an elaborate gold dress that balled around the waist and trailed elegantly behind her. The sleeves fell modestly off her shoulders, revealing her pale skin, and the upper bodice of the dress covered up most of her chest, dipping low enough to reveal the betrothal necklace that Jem had given to her months before. Tessa's chocolate brown hair was bunned up in the back, tendrils of silky hair falling out, outlining her face. Sophie had intricately woven in golden ribbons into Tessa's hair to give it a more dazzling appeal. Now, Tessa was seated in front of a mirror attached to a dressing stand and she took a deep breath in. She looked beautiful... no she looked breathtaking.

Tessa was still breathing heavily, her right hand curled up into a fist resting on her lap. She was still recovering from her encounter with the last person she would have wanted to see, just moments ago. William Herondale. Tessa was in this very room, waiting for Henry to take her out into the actual church, when there was a soft knock that was barely audible.

"Come in," Tessa said, expecting it to be Henry. Instead, Will stood in the door frame, staring directly at Tessa. He looked nervous, and Tessa could imagine exactly why. Not only was Will still in love with Tessa, but Jem had asked Will to be his best man for the wedding.

"May I come in?" Will asked hesitantly.

"Of course," Tessa said, giving him a small smile for encouragement. This was the last time she would have to talk to Will, and she would have to savour every moment of it. She had gotten so accustomed to having either Jem or Will by her side for the last six months that the thought of not having one of them there was nearly unbearable.

Will walked over to her, across the tiny room that had been hers for the past few hours. It was filled with white furniture, which starkly contrasted with the gold dress of Tessa's and Will's black suit. Will stopped in front of her and held out a box in his hands.

"Is this for me?" Tessa asked curiously. Will nodded in response. Gingerly, Tessa took the box from his hands and removed the lid. In it was a silver pendant attached to a silver chain. Tessa picked the necklace up to closely examined the pendant; it was in the shape of a book and had various titles written across it. _Tale of Two Cities_, _Pride and Prejudice_, _Boadicea, Vathek_. All books that she and Will both loved.

"So, do you like it?" Will asked.

"I love it," Tessa said truthfully, smiling up at him, "thank you Will."

"I'm glad you do," he said in a small voice. Disappointment layered his voice, but from what? Tessa couldn't understand. "Well, I best be going. They probably need me out there." Will made for the door but Tessa stopped him.

"Will?"

"Yes, Tessa," Will turned around.

"Thank you. For everything." And with that, he gave a small nod and left her to be as she was, still seated in front of the mirror, holding the necklace in her hand. At any time now, Henry would come in and lead her down the aisle to Jem. She wasn't even sure who had been invited to this wedding. All of her family was dead and gone now, so it would just be lots of Shadowhunters who knew her but she didn't know them.

How could she go through this? Was she ready? She was still so tied in her feelings but at the same time, knew in her heart of hearts, that marrying Jem was something she had to do.

A knock came again at the door, and Tessa's head snapped up. Both Henry and Charlotte stood in the doorway, shadows surrounded their feet. There were mixed emotions coming from them and Tessa felt the urgency. She stood quickly.

Henry smiled, admiring her dress. "You look wonderful," he said.

She blushed. "Thank you," she said. "So do you." Henry wore a suit much like Will's, but it appeared to have flare, as though the clothes themselves were blending with his personality.

Charlotte bustled forward, hands outstretched to take Tessa's. "My darling, I am so sorry to interrupt your big day," she said. Tessa watched the two whom she thought of like parents, share a worried exchange.

"What? What is it?" Tessa asked, feeling sweat bead up at the nape of her neck.

"I'm afraid we've lost Will," she answered solemnly. Panic filled Tessa, making it hard to breathe. She should be more worried about Jem; concentrating on her impending nuptials. If Will had decided to wander off, to sulk away his miseries, then that was his business. Nothing to do with her. And yet, she couldn't stop the ache of loneliness that threatened to overwhelm her heart when she considered life without him.

She quickly snapped back to the moment. Sounds of movement could be heard just outside her room and she was too aware she could not delay much longer.

"Whatever do you mean?"

Charlotte smiled sadly, "He walked out."

Tessa laughed, forced and full of anxiety she hadn't realised she'd been holding back. "He probably went for some fresh air. You know how Will likes his-"

"Theresa!" said a female voice from behind the closed door. All eyes travelled to where shadowing feet could be seen. "Is everything alright in there?"

Heart pounding, Tessa tried a deep breath. It caught in her throat and she coughed. "Yes," she managed. Henry ran his hands over invisible creases of his shirt and went to check on the guests. To Charlotte, Tessa said, "What do we do? He must be here,"

"And he will be,"

Music floated to her from the live band Magnus had managed to arrange, and all too quickly she found herself with a dilemma.

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**We hope you like it so far! Don't forget to review :)**


	2. Chapter 1

**Here's the next chapter! Thanks to everyone who reviewed, followed, and/or favorited our prologue! They're greatly appreciated :) Enjoy and don't forget to R&R!**

**Disclaimer: we are not Cassie Clare**

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**Chapter 1**

_Six months earlier._

Tessa sat in the library, as usual. Despite everything that had happened over the past couple of months, the library seemed unperturbed by everything, the dust still settled atop the books and the rays of light shone through the windows.

Tessa was trying to focus on the book that rested upon her lap, _Pride and Prejudice, _but she just could not do it. It had been two and a half months since Jem proposed to her. The feeling was still surreal and Tessa could not believe that that had happened to her. Aunt Harriet would have told her that she rushed into marriage, but Tessa felt that it was appropriate; then again, Shadowhunters did marry at early ages. Her feelings for Jem had drastically accumulated over the time, but she still found herself thinking about Will. Ever since Will had spoken the truth to her, about the curse and how he truly loved her, she could not help but feel a pang in her chest. Her heart would never be full, no matter how much Jem loved her, knowing how Will had felt about her.

She hoped that Will would recover, but he had reverted back to his cold-hearted manners and cruel sarcasm, still keeping everyone at arm's length. She knew she was partly the fault, but it was inevitable, given the circumstances. Cecily's sudden appearance did not help with the situation at hand; her quick temper and natural curiosity only angered Will more. Cecily had come to the Institute with the intentions to train as a Shadowhunter, but Will had only rejected this hope and deemed her wish impossible. Then again, Tessa could not blame him, since being a Shadowhunter was risky and deadly.

Tessa shook her head to clear it of the thoughts and resumed reading her book. Jane Austen had always been one of her favorite authors, though she still preferred Dickens. She had just begun to read the part about when Darcy first proposed to Elizabeth when she heard a noise in the distance.

The door opened, footsteps reverberating through the vast room. Tessa looked up from her book, expecting Jem; he often came into the library when Tessa was there. Although he was not obsessed with books as she was, he enjoyed watching her read, as Tessa loved having him just there. The figure at the door did not look like Jem; he was broader and had dark shadows cast upon him. Will.

Tessa took this as a cue to leave, closing her book and standing up, smoothing down her skirts to ensure they weren't crumpled. She began to make her way to the door, paying no attention to Will, when he stepped in front of her to stop her.

"Mr. Herondale, that is especially rude. I have somewhere to go," said Tessa, trying to find a way to get around him.

"Oh really, Tessa?" Will asked, delicately lifting his eyebrows, addressing her by her Christian name. "Where would you possibly have to go? It's nearly two in the morning."

"To see Jem," Tessa said automatically.

"Jem's fine. I just visited him and I wouldn't want to bother him. He's finally asleep and I feel like this is going to be a good night for him." At least that part was true. Jem was having problems sleeping recently, due to the drug, and the fact that Will was here instead of with his parabatai reassured Tessa of this fact. "What's that you're reading?" Will asked, but before Tessa could reply, he snatched the book from her hands.

"Mr. Herondale, that's incredibly rude," Tessa said again, but he ignored her.

"Ah, _Pride and Prejudice_. I've never been a fan of Austen's work."

"So you have read it," Tessa said, slightly surprised, and just a little excited. She never expected someone like Will to read novels such as the ones by Jane Austen. Then again, she didn't expect Will to do a lot of the things he did, but he was so full of surprises.

"Never been a fan. I find all the romances quite far from reality. Although I find characters such as Mr. Darcy somewhat relatable." He said the last part quietly. His blue eyes bore into her own, causing Tessa to shrink back. He was quite close to her; everything was crystal clear, his deep blue eyes, angular cheekbones, full lips. All she could see was Will.

"It's late," Tessa announced, stepping around Will and making her way to exit.

Will lightly grabbed her wrist. "Tess, wait. I just want to talk to you. Alone." A jolt radiated through her body. Two things dawned on her. One, only Will ever called her Tess, and she had not heard that in months. Two, she had not been with Will alone. Not even spoken to him since the drawing room incident.

"What is it?" Tessa asked, her own voice sounding foreign and distant to her.

"I feel like I've given it enough time," Will said, eerily calm.

"Given what enough time?" Tessa said, slightly irritated by how ambiguous he was being.

"Look, what I mean is that it's been a couple months since we've last spoken. I've feel like we've had enough distance that we're ready to start a new." His hair was beginning to fall over his eyes, and he pushed it away patiently. "Could we just be friends?"

_Could we just be friends?_ His voice echoed through her mind. She had never expected this to happen, especially since she was betrothed to Jem. She believed that ever since she was Jem's, no other man existed, not even as a friend. But then again, this was Will... and Will was always different

"Tessa?" Will said, snapping her attention back.

"Will, I'm sorry."

"We can still be friends," Dismay spread across Will's face. "I know you're engaged to Jem and I respect that. I promise, if we're friends, I'll put my feelings to the side and not allow it interfere."

"Will, no, please don't do this to me," Tessa said firmly, although tears began to cloud her vision, "I just can't." Will was still in shock, and Tessa seized opportunity to pull her wrist back from his slackening grip. She ran out the door, not daring to look back at Will

And as she made her way back the her room, Tessa knew what she told Will was a mistake.

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**For those of you who have read the first chapter of CP2, this is probably really different than how it is so far. But that's okay because we are definitely not Cassie lol. Don't forget to review!**


	3. Chapter 2

**Thanks to ****PrimadonnaGurl13 for writing this chapter! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: We're not Cassandra Clare**

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**Chapter 2**

The air in the London Institute felt somewhat heavier than normal in the small hours of the morning when Tessa tried to sleep.

She struggled to find comfort in her usually comfortable bed sheets; sweat beaded her brow, her throat was tight and her head hurt from so much thinking. The question of why this was happening was running rampant in her mind, yet she didn't actually have to search hard to know the answer.

Every bone in her body screamed, "Will!" and she didn't exactly feel assured by that notion. He seemed to be having some effect on her that she'd tried so hard to banish. Just the five minute meeting they'd had some few hours ago had erased every wall, every barrier of feelings she'd had for him. Her marriage to Jem was set, she could not back down, could not go back on her promise. She loved Jem dearly, and somehow, deep down, she knew that marrying him was the right thing to do. But was the right thing what she wanted? She wasn't too sure anymore. Was it really possible for your heart to be torn in two?

Shrugging out of the bed covers, Tessa went over to the window and looked out to the sky, the mist of London air gradually making its way for a calm, respectable day. There was a knock at the door and without a second thought, Tessa automatically said, "Come in, Sophie,"

Only, it wasn't Sophie.

"Why did you do it?" Tessa spun on the spot and was greeted by a flustered looking Cecily, already dressed in a day dress and her dark hair piled high on her head. Tessa felt a little embarrassed, only being in her nightgown, but was aware she might not get a chance to speak.

She had only visited her room once before and even that had been brief. Her eyes were wide, her lips tight with some emotion Tessa couldn't quite grasp. Even in the dimness of the light, Tessa could see the deep blue of Cecily's eyes, identical to Will's. Cecily's question came back to her and Tessa swallowed hard, not sure on the right response.

The door swung shut behind the young girl, who was much like her brother, in every way, that Tessa felt somewhat intimidated sometimes, just being around such strong personalities. Will alone was enough to handle.

Choosing her words carefully Tessa said, "What exactly am I supposed to have done?" Her voice remained impartial, calm. But there was a voice in her head shouting at her, saying Cecily must know.

Indeed, Cecily knew _something_ because the young girl stormed across to the bed and sat down heavily, causing the mattress to squeak in protest. And Cecily was not heavy by any means.

"You hurt my brother," she said quietly, hurt. She peered up at Tessa, and Tessa felt the hurt radiating back at her, like a blazing sun. Those eyes...so much like Will's.

Tessa found a spot beside Cecily, careful not to make the girl uncomfortable or even more angry. She lifted a hand to rest on the other girl's shoulder, then thought better of it and put her hand down.

"He told you?" Tessa asked after a long minute, assuming that her conversation with Will was confidential, even if Cecily was his sister.

Cecily laughed, cold and lacking in humour. "He didn't have to. He's my brother. Besides, he's very transparent."

Tessa's shoulders sagged with the realisation that she hadn't intended to hurt Will. She'd never want to do that.

"You have to know," said Tessa. "It was not my intention. We simply had a disagreement."

Cecily shot up off the bed and stood in front of Tessa. She was nearly Tessa's height. "Disagreement?" exclaimed the young girl who was so much wiser than her fifteen years.

"Well, yes."

"Tell me, Tessa," spat Cecily. "What exactly did you disagree on that could cause my brother such misery? Was it, perhaps, him wanting to be your friend and you turned him down like he isn't worth your time?"

Tessa swallowed back the lump of cold regret and closed her eyes, a tear betraying her. She shivered. "I thought you didn't know the reason," she whispered.

"I heard you," said Cecily, coming to sit back down. "I couldn't sleep last night so I took a walk around. This place is so big and..." Cecily cleared her throat and gathered her wits about her. "That isn't the point. What hurts the most is how you could lie so blatantly to his face when we both know you care much more for him than you're willing to let on."

"Cecily!"

The girl ignored Tessa's outrage. "No, listen." Cecily stood up again, pacing the floor. "I know that you're marrying Jem, and I'm happy for you, I truly am. But what I care most about is that my brother is happy in the process, and if all he's asking for is friendship, then he's putting away his pride for you. I can see how much he hurts, Tessa. And if you have one decent bone in your body, you'll put aside your paranoia for one moment, and let him into your life. Ignoring him will only make life miserable for both of you, so don't be stupid. Just please, try to be friends with him."

With that declaration, Tessa watched Will's sister leave the room with a flourish, letting the door close with a barely audible click.

Once dressed and feeling a little more like herself, despite the moment with Cecily, Tessa made her way out of her room and toward the dining room. Cecily's words had given her pause for thought, and had hit home hard. She had been worried, paranoid even, that letting Will get closer would be betraying Jem. Now she could see that being with one man does not necessarily mean she cut off everyone else she cared about. Will was like a best friend to her, despite everything that had transpired between them, and letting him go would be as painful as losing a hand. She needed him as much as she needed Jem, and she just hadn't realised how much until she'd tried severing the tie. A detour to Will's room made her nerves rocket, yet she knew this was the right decision. Denying him friendship would be almost cruel, and she truly did want to be his friend. All other feelings stayed hidden.

Once she reached the tower, Tessa rapped once on his door, in which there was no response. She tried the handle and felt it turn in her hand. She really should not be going into his room unannounced, since she was a lady. But she had broken the rules of being a proper lady long before. And, if there was one thing she'd learned about Will, it's that he didn't always answer his door and often came to other's unannounced.

Inside was murky darkness. Candles burned in their holders, papers scattered across his wooden desk along one wall. A jug of water on the floor beside his bed. _His bed. _Tessa shook her head, erasing all thoughts of that nature, and found herself scouring books. The tiny bookshelf contained many titles she herself adored, and that was just one of the many things she had in common with Will. She hadn't really taken time to appreciate how much they both loved some of the same things.

Tessa's gaze fell on A Tale of Two Cities and she couldn't resist. She hadn't read this book in forever and was dying to read it again. Her fingers itched and she grabbed for it, flicking the pages open. Her breath caught when the book fell open to writing she had never noticed before. She wondered what it was, until she spotted her name written in the first line.

_Tess. Tess. Tessa._

Her eyes welled up, hands shaking she read the rest of the words on the page. All the while, she couldn't stop her mind from spinning. She never realized how much Will felt for her. Yes, she knew that he loved her, but after reading the letter, the realization settled in. Tessa couldn't help but feel even more guilty about the way she treated him.

"Have you found anything interesting?" said a deep, sarcastic voice from behind. Tessa's heart began to beat rapidly as she slowly spun around to see who it was.

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**We hope you liked it! You'll find out who that person is in the next chappie, although it may be obvious lol. Only 11 more days for CP2!**


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